TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 370, 14 December 1882, Page 3

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

PARTICULARS op the TAKAPAU TROUBLE.

(PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, This Day. With regard to the destruction of the bridge and tramway by the natives at Takapau, Hawke's Bay district, the following particulars have been ascertained. At daybreak on the 11th about 15 natives from the Waipawa pahs, armed with guns, and axes, proceeded to the land known as Takapau, and destroyed the bridge aud a portion of the tramway constructed by Messrs. Wilding and Bull, who were cutting timber on the land. The damage was done before the Takapau natives knew what was going on, and the WaipawftS had returned to their pah. A threat was given that they would return, and it was feared that if they did there would be a serious conflict. It appears that the Waipawa and Porangahau natives have lately objected to timber cutting on this land, and they held several meetings on the subject, and in the end they determined to destroy the bridge and tram: On the Government being informed of this they advised that the natives should be warned that whatever their rights were they could not be permitted to take the law into their own hands as they were now doing. The land in dispute has not been passed through the Native Land Court, and the natives have been urged to allow every, thing to stand over until the title is decided. They were also told if further violence were resorted to Government would interfere. When this was being urged on the natives, Messrs Wilding and Bull were sent for, and it was arranged that a week would be allowed them to transport the logs they had cut, after which neither party is to go on the ground for six weeks. In the meantime application will be made to the Land Court to hear the case and have the whole matter decided by law. The Takapau natives who gave Wilding and Bull permission to cut timber have been in possession and occupation for a number of years.